It's always a pleasure to receive a new offering from this talented poet and songwriter, and fans of Manning's unique style will not be disappointed in this latest record. From the happy, upbeat 60's sound of The Girl From Londonderry (my personal favourite) to the heartbreaking pathos of You're Just Away, to the beautiful words of Soulful Eyes, we are treated to a range of emotional effects that pretty well spans the possibilities of human response.
One of the things at which this artist really excels is in the evocation of visual imagery and the beauty of nature, and this is particularly evident in the opening track, Colours, and in Magic in the Moonlight and Winter Blues.
Afficionadoes of Manning's oevre in general will be surprised and perhaps a little sad at the absence of Jeff Burstin's gravelly street-cred voice, and I must confess to a little sadness myself that there were no Men's Secret Business tracks in this compilation; I adore Manning's witty stories, and cherish a hope that we will see them return in future disks.
The protest motif that distinguished eariler CDs has been very much softened, with only Waiting Room and the very subtle Manly Ferry taking this line.
Bernie Manning's Greatest Hits, Volumes One, Two and Three, are available from Bernie's own website, however I could not find any links to the later volumes in the series. The site does have a contact form, however, and the records are also available at Readings bookstore.
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